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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23644744">Of Sunrises and Robes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_13th_battalion/pseuds/the_13th_battalion'>the_13th_battalion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan's Journal AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Mild Blood, Obi-Wan Kenobi Gets a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but it's mostly obi-wan and satine, like a good 98 percent of it, possibly a little OOC, this is literally pure fluff with angst mixed in for good measure</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:27:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23644744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_13th_battalion/pseuds/the_13th_battalion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Obi-Wan.”</p><p>He stopped and turned back. He had only made it a few steps.</p><p>She faced him with a sad expression. “This war has changed you.”</p><p>He looked down uncomfortably. He didn’t quite know how to respond. “This war has changed us all.”</p><p>“It has changed you most of all, and not for the better. Since when have you passed up the chance to watch the sunrise?”</p><p>“I haven’t watched a sunrise in months.” The words tasted bitter as they left his mouth.</p><p>He half expected her to be upset, but instead, she held out her hand to him. “Come and watch this one, then.”</p><p>(Or, three times Obi-Wan and Satine watch the sunrise together.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan's Journal AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Of Sunrises and Robes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The origin story of the journal!! This is inspired by my friend who, when reading my last fic, said "Satine should give him a robe too." Other friends in the group chat supported that. My brain ran with it. This is for you, friends &lt;3</p><p>The first part is after they first met. The second part is at the end of that arc. The third part is years later in some unspecified part of S2 E14. Sometime before it maybe. I don't know. I didn't really think that one through I just wanted them to watch another sunrise DX</p><p>Enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The soft rays of the morning sun warmed Obi-Wan’s face. He rolled on his back and blinked, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light and shaking off the weight of sleep. He stared up at the colors of the sky, breathing deeply in the forest air.</p><p>He would have loved to stay there forever. He would gaze at the sky, watch the transitions between night and day, admire the colors, appreciate both the clear and the cloudy weather. He wouldn’t have to worry about his training, or the bounty hunters that were no doubt prowling in the woods around him, or the future in general.</p><p>Qui-Gon Jinn snored from beside him, still deep in sleep. Obi-Wan turned his head and smiled. He liked to see the absence of the stress lines on his master’s face.</p><p>Something whispered in his heart. A quiet suggestion. He complied and rolled over on his side, looking to where Satine slept.</p><p>Or should have been sleeping.</p><p>He sat up quickly, eyes widening. <em>She’s gone!</em></p><p>He scrambled to his feet, snatching up his lightsaber. How could he be such an idiot? Had he really slept so deeply? Had she been kidnapped in the night and he hadn’t been awake to save her? His mind whirled with images of Satine, hurt and scared, miles away from him.</p><p>His heart thumped loudly in his chest. His stomach twisted uncomfortably. He forcibly swallowed bile back down his throat. Trusting a wild instinct, he took off running. <em>I have to find her! I have to protect her!</em></p><p>He tore through the forest, clutching his lightsaber. Branches whipped at his face and arms and snagged on his robes. He stumbled recklessly between the trees, his mind screaming her name and shouting at him for his idiocy.</p><p>He would never forgive himself if he lost her.</p><p>He trusted the pull of the Force, letting it guide him to a cliff not far from their campsite. The position offered a clear view of the horizon. There, sitting in the grass with her back to him, was Satine.</p><p>She turned when he crashed through the trees. “Obi-Wan!”</p><p>He halted abruptly. Chest heaving, he frantically studied her, searching for any sign of fear or injury. “Satine! Are you alright?!”</p><p>“Yes, I’m fine. I woke up and couldn’t fall asleep again, so I decided to come watch the sunrise.” A flicker of guilt crossed her face. “Did I worry you?”</p><p>Obi-Wan sagged to his knees in relief. “I thought...I thought they’d taken you. I was scared that I’d slept too deeply and I hadn’t heard you. I was scared you might be in danger.”</p><p>Satine’s face fell. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”</p><p>He took a few deep breaths. “It’s fine. I’m just glad you’re safe.” He laughed a little. “I can’t believe I panicked like that. I feared the worst right away. I ran into the woods without a second thought.”</p><p>She laughed too. “How very rash of you.”</p><p>Obi-Wan stood and clipped his lightsaber to his belt. “May I join you?”</p><p>“Of course.” She patted the grass beside her.</p><p>He moved closer and sat where she had indicated. He gazed out at the sunrise and released his anxiety into the Force. <em>Calm down. She’s safe.</em></p><p>“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Satine whispered.</p><p>He looked at her. She had her knees drawn to her chest with her arms loosely wrapped around her legs. A gentle breeze played with her hair. The sun danced on the loose strands, turning them to gold.</p><p>“It is,” he replied softly.</p><p>She turned her head to look at him. She grinned and playfully elbowed his arm. “I meant the sunrise, <em>utreekov</em>!”</p><p>Obi-Wan blushed and looked away. “Sorry, I’m sorry!” He picked at a loose thread on his sleeve. Then he looked back at her. “Did you call me an idiot?”</p><p>Satine laughed. “So you do pay attention to my Mando’a lessons!”</p><p>“Of course I do! Although I’ll never speak it as well as you.”</p><p>“Someday you might! The longer we’re out here, the more you’ll learn.”</p><p>Companionable silence fell around them. They watched the sun grow larger and brighter on the horizon. Obi-Wan copied Satine’s position, enjoying the peaceful morning air.</p><p>He noticed a shift in Satine’s emotions before she spoke.</p><p>“How much longer do you think this will go on?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully, “I wish I could give you a better answer.”</p><p>She shook her head. “No, it’s alright.” She picked a few blades of grass and twisted them in her fingers. “I guess I’m just tired. Tired of being afraid, tired of running, tired of having too many questions and too little answers...”</p><p>Obi-Wan listened with a frown.</p><p>Satine sighed heavily and tossed the blades of grass on the ground. “I want to go home, and be safe in my home. I want to feel truly at peace again.”</p><p>He hesitated before he wrapped his arm around her. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She took his free hand in both of hers. They breathed in unison, their hearts beating steadily.</p><p>Satine smiled and gently squeezed his hand. “I know I’m not Force sensitive, but I swear, I can feel it when you’re near me.”</p><p>Obi-Wan’s heart fluttered even as his mind screamed at him to <em>remember the Code</em>. “What does it feel like?”</p><p>“It’s warm, and gentle, and bright. It makes me feel peaceful and happy. And safe. Like this sunrise. Like you.”</p><p>His heart soared and his cheeks turned pink.</p><p>The feeling faded as she suddenly began to pull away. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t talk like that. The Jedi Code...”</p><p>He grabbed her hands. “Can’t we pretend the Code doesn’t exist for now?”</p><p>She met his gaze, her lips pressed in a thin line.</p><p>He continued earnestly. “Let’s just forget everything for a while. Let’s forget our obligations, our statuses. Let’s forget why we’re out here in the woods. For a little while,the only thing that matters is the sunrise.”</p><p>She considered his words, then she nodded and nestled against him, only letting go of his hands to hug him. He returned the embrace and stared out at the horizon. He matched her steady breathing.</p><p>“Satine?”</p><p>“Hm?”</p><p>“How do you say ‘beautiful’?”</p><p>“<em>Mesh’la</em>.”</p><p>Obi-Wan repeated it softly and closed his eyes. The Force hummed around him, uniting with the sun’s rays to wrap them in peace and warmth. Obi-Wan sank deep into the soft glow, losing track of time, forgetting everything he feared and doubted.</p><p>All that mattered was the sunrise.</p><p>A branch snapped.</p><p>Obi-Wan stiffened.</p><p>Satine tightened her hold on him. “What is it?”</p><p>He opened his eyes, his senses on high alert. He couldn’t be certain if he’d actually heard movement in the trees or if it had been an instinct. He reached out with the Force, searching for anything out of place.</p><p>Someone was behind them, and it wasn’t Qui-Gon Jinn.</p><p>In one fluid motion, Obi-Wan stood, drew his lightsaber, turned, and ignited the blade. Satine stood as well, clinging to the back of his robe. He shielded her as two humanoid figures emerged from the trees.</p><p>
  <em>Blast! Bounty hunters!</em>
</p><p>The two hunters were heavily armored, from helmets to steel-toed boots. Obi-Wan couldn’t determine if they were human or not. Both had several visible weapons hanging from their belts and strapped to their backs. One had a large crossbow and his helmet tapered at the front. The second’s helmet was more rounded off with a fin on the top. They towered over Obi-Wan, even from a distance (although, admittedly, it was easy for nearly anybody to tower over him). They split up and began to prowl to either side of Obi-Wan and Satine.</p><p>Obi-Wan backed up slowly, pushing Satine on behind him. He watched the two hunters, his mind running at full speed, trying to come up with a way to get Satine out safely. He quickly reached out in the Force, calling out to Qui-Gon for help. He prayed he would wake up and hear him. He needed this fight to be more evenly matched.</p><p>“Well, well,” Cone Face (Obi-Wan had to call them something!) sneered in a gravelly voice, “What have we here?”</p><p>Fin, the second hunter, laughed loudly. “Two little birds caught in a trap.”</p><p>Obi-Wan tightened his grip on his lightsaber. “You shouldn’t underestimate birds.”</p><p>“Oh, is that so?” Fin eyed Obi-Wan's padawan braid. “Where’s your master, little Jedi?”</p><p>“He’s on his way,” Obi-Wan answered, sounding more sure of it than he felt, “You’re about to be outnumbered.”</p><p>“Ha! Stupid kid,” Cone Face said as he unclipped the crossbow from his back, “The princess is too weak to fight us.”</p><p>Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed. “She’s a duchess, and she could bash your heads together and throw you both off the cliff if I let her.”</p><p>They didn’t believe him, laughing and continuing their gradual advance. Obi-Wan inched backwards a little more, trying to release his fear into the Force so he could focus on coming up with a plan. The hunters were herding them to the cliff edge. They had divided. If Obi-Wan attacked one, the other had a clear shot at his back. <em>Effective. Unfortunately.</em></p><p>He quickly scanned the surroundings again. <em>If only they were the ones with their backs to the cliff. Maybe I could maneuver them that way...</em></p><p>Fin drew a couple blasters from his belt. “Look, kid. Hand her over and we might let you live.”</p><p>Obi-Wan started to creep to the side, still guiding Satine with one hand stretched out behind him. “Why haven’t you shot me down already? I’m impressed at your restraint.”</p><p>“Obi-Wan!” Satine hissed fearfully.</p><p>“Well, I’m only saying, they must not be professionals! They clearly don’t have the courage to strike down a child to retrieve their prize. They must not be experienced.”</p><p>Obi-Wan watched the hunters carefully as he spoke, continuing to side step towards the trees. He sensed their agitation. Any moment now, they would attack. He tightened his grip on his lightsaber. Fin stood only a few feet ahead of them. He didn’t have to see his eyes to know Fin watched his every move.</p><p>Obi-Wan steeled his nerves and dealt the final blow. “Or perhaps they’re just cowards.”</p><p>Cone Face raised his crossbow.</p><p>“Satine, roll!” Obi-Wan yelled. Then, he turned quickly and pushed her into the trees. She yelped in surprise, but she had heard and understood him. She rolled as she hit the ground, then she scrambled behind a tree.</p><p>Obi-Wan whirled back around, settling into a Soresu position. He had only had his back turned for a split second. He hoped his sudden movement had been enough to at least throw off their aim.</p><p>He had barely gotten into position when he heard a <em>thwack</em>. Pain exploded in his left shoulder as a crossbow bolt lodged there. He gasped sharply and staggered back, his vision blurring. A couple blaster bolts whizzed past his ear. He hardly heard them over the ringing in his ears.</p><p>
  <em>Blast it blast it blast it FOCUS!</em>
</p><p>He channelled his pain away into the Force and regained his senses enough to block the next several blaster bolts. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cone Face reloading his crossbow. He raised his hand to knock him over with the Force but stopped as fresh agony coursed through his arm from his shoulder. He shuddered as the bolt grated against his collarbone.</p><p>
  <em>This is not going how I planned!</em>
</p><p>He managed to deflect a few more blaster bolts, bouncing one back. Fin dodged it and the bolt hit a tree, leaving a smoldering black mark. Shaking, Obi-Wan attempted again to lift his left arm. He hardly moved an inch when pain blossomed again. He moaned and stumbled backwards, thumping into a tree.</p><p>Fin stepped closer, aiming both his blasters at his chest.</p><p>Obi-Wan’s heart sank. <em>I failed.</em></p><p>Suddenly, Cone Face let out a choked cry and dropped his crossbow. Obi-Wan and Fin turned in surprise.</p><p>Satine had snuck around and launched herself at the bounty hunter, securing her arms around his neck. She hung there from his neck, a good foot shorter than him. She managed to hold her grip as he spun and tried to throw her off. She landed a solid kick to the back of his knee. He collapsed to his knees. She wrestled him into position, using him as a shield. He struggled and yanked on her hair. She yelped in pain but recovered quickly, biting an exposed section of his wrist.</p><p>Tearing his gaze away from her, Obi-Wan took advantage of the distraction she had created. He ran forward with a surge of energy pumping through his veins and thrust his lightsaber into Fin’s chest. The hunter fell limply to the ground.</p><p>He took a step towards Satine to help her. He stopped as a wave of dizziness and pain swept over him. His knees buckled and he came crashing down in a kneeling position. He risked a look at his wound. He cringed at the thick, black bolt protruding from his shoulder. A steady stream of blood ran down his chest.</p><p>“Obi-Wan!” Satine shouted, “I can’t hold him!”</p><p>He locked eyes with her. She had her jaw set in determination, but fear shone in her wide eyes. Thinking as quickly as he could, Obi-Wan shut off his lightsaber and tossed it to her.</p><p>“Catch it!”</p><p>She threw her hand out and caught it. Then she ignited it into the bounty hunter’s back. She shut it off again and let the man slump to the ground.</p><p>Satine ran over and collapsed in the grass beside Obi-Wan. She set his lightsaber down and cupped his face in her trembling hands. He slumped into her touch and covered one of her hands with his right hand.</p><p>Obi-Wan grinned. “You saved me.”</p><p>“No, you saved me, <em>ner cyar’ika</em>.”</p><p>“From ‘idiot’ to ‘my darling’... I must be doing something right.”</p><p>Satine rolled her eyes and let out a breathless laugh.</p><p>Something rustled in the trees, approaching them. Satine leapt to her feet, snatching up Obi-Wan’s lightsaber and igniting it. She stood in front of him and tried to copy his Soresu stance from earlier.</p><p>She relaxed when Qui-Gon entered the clearing, his lightsaber drawn.</p><p>“Qui-Gon!” she exclaimed, relieved.</p><p>“Took you long enough!” Obi-Wan teased.</p><p>Qui-Gon scanned the clearing, his gaze finally settling on Obi-Wan and Satine. He shut off his lightsaber and stepped closer to them. “What in the universe happened here?!”</p><p>“We were admiring the sunrise when these bounty hunters attacked us,” Satine explained.</p><p>Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan and raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You took down two bounty hunters by yourself?”</p><p>“No, Satine helped. She got that one.” He pointed with his good arm.</p><p>“Oh.” Qui-Gon patted Satine’s shoulder. “Well done.”</p><p>She beamed. “Thank you.”</p><p>Qui-Gon knelt in front of Obi-Wan and inspected the wound in his shoulder. “Padawan, you must stop getting holes in your robe.”</p><p>Obi-Wan eyed some of the many snags and rips in his robe. “Sorry, Master. I think I officially managed to ruin this one.”</p><p>“That makes three new robes in less than two years.” Qui-Gon smiled and squeezed his good shoulder.</p><p>Obi-Wan returned the smile and leaned forward to rest his forehead against Qui-Gon’s own. He breathed easier as Qui-Gon sent him peace through their Force bond.</p><p>“Come on,” Qui-Gon spoke at last, straightening up, “Your wound looks deep, but relatively clean and straight. We’ll go back to camp and clean it up.”</p><p>Obi-Wan nodded, then paled as the world tilted. Qui-Gon rubbed circles on his back until he could see straight again, then he helped him stand slowly. Satine stood on his right and wrapped her arm around his waist. Obi-Wan draped his arm around her shoulders and gripped Qui-Gon’s hand.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Satine told him, “When it’s safe to go home, I’ll get you a new robe.”</p><p>His heart warmed. He tightened his hold on her and tried to send her his thanks and his love through the Force.</p><p>She must have felt it. Her smile said it all.</p><hr/><p>Obi-Wan woke to that same morning sun, filtering in through the part of curtains rather than leaves. It had been months since the morning he and Satine had encountered those bounty hunters. They had returned to Kalevala only a couple days ago. Satine had invited him and Qui-Gon to stay and rest for a while. Obi-Wan was glad Qui-Gon accepted the offer.</p><p>He stood and went to the window, opening the curtains all the way. He studied the city with a smile. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t love it there. <em>At least it’s nice to be out of the woods for a change.</em></p><p>He put his belt on and clipped his lightsaber to it. He left his room and made his way outside. Satine had asked him to meet her in the garden to watch the sunrise. He couldn’t help the slight spring in his step as he went.</p><p>He entered the garden and found her right away, a spot of blue against the oranges and pinks of the sky. She saw him coming and waved. He returned the gesture and picked up his pace.</p><p>“You’re late!” she teased.</p><p>He stopped beside her and ducked his head sheepishly. “Sorry. I slept in.”</p><p>Satine beamed. “It’s alright. I was teasing. You haven’t missed much of it.”</p><p>He lifted his gaze and looked out at the horizon. “I’ll never get tired of watching the sunrise.”</p><p>She hummed in agreement.</p><p>They stood in peaceful silence for a few steady heartbeats before Satine spoke.</p><p>“I have something for you.”</p><p>Obi-Wan turned to her, a little flustered. “You do?”</p><p>She nodded and retrieved a bundle from a bench nearby. “It took me a while to get right, but I think it turned out great! Maybe it’s not perfect, like different material or something, but anyway…”</p><p>She shook out the bundle a little and held up a new Jedi robe.</p><p>Obi-Wan brightened. He stepped forward and felt the material, lightly running his hand along the front. “This is perfect!”</p><p>Satine laughed. “Oh, I’m so glad you like it! Here, put it on!”</p><p>He took it from her and grinned. “Is this why you showed me the library? So you could distract me?”</p><p>She winked. “Possibly.”</p><p>He laughed and slipped the robe on. The sleeves hung to his knuckles and it dragged a little on the ground, but Obi-Wan felt more natural wearing a robe again.</p><p>“I made it a little bigger than you need, so you can grow into it,” Satine explained, watching him with a smile.</p><p>“You have such faith in my ability to gain a couple inches,” Obi-Wan joked, “Until then, I suppose I’ll just lift my robe like a skirt.”</p><p>Satine snorted. “I think you’ll manage much better than me wearing actual skirts again. I forgot I was wearing a dress last night and tried to go up the stairs. I fell flat on my face!”</p><p>They shared a long laugh at that.</p><p>When it faded, Obi-Wan hugged the robe around him and grew serious. “Satine, you didn’t have to do this.”</p><p>“Yes, I did,” she insisted, “I told you, after those two bounty hunters attacked us. I told you that when we got back here, I’d get you a new robe. You forgot?”</p><p>He blushed slightly. “Oh, no, I didn’t forget. I just thought…” He trailed off as something small pressed against his hip. He reached down and frowned. “What’s this?”</p><p>“I sewed a stone in there. It has my family crest on it.” Satine explained. She gently tugged open the robe and pointed to a square of blue fabric. “It’s there. So I can always be by your side.”</p><p>Obi-Wan smiled. “You really thought of everything.”</p><p>She shrugged and smiled. “I wanted it to be perfect.”</p><p>“It is perfect. Thank you.” He sighed. “I wish I had something to give you.”</p><p>“You don’t need to give me anything, it’s alright!”</p><p>Obi-Wan thought about it for a moment. He had an idea, but he hesitated to offer it. “Would you think it was strange if I gave you my padawan bands?”</p><p>Her eyes widened. “But you earned those!”</p><p>He fingered the bands in his braid fondly. “I know.” He smiled and began undoing his braid. “But I can replace them when I get back to Coruscant. I’ll just tell everyone I lost them. I’m clumsy and reckless enough for that to be at least somewhat believable!”</p><p>He slipped the red and yellow beads out of his hair, took her hand, and dropped them into her palm. She accepted them with a quiet “thank you” and tucked them in her pocket. He deftly redid his braid while she watched, expression unreadable, her hand lingering in her pocket. As he tied off his braid, he detected the subtle shift of her emotions, watching as the corners of her mouth turned down slightly. He could practically see the words hovering on her lips.</p><p>“What is it?” he prompted gently.</p><p>“I wish you didn’t have to go.” She crossed her arms, bit her lip, and cast her gaze to the side.</p><p>Obi-Wan’s heart ached. He had been avoiding that thought for the past few days. Now her comment brought fresh pain to his chest. He pushed some of it away into the Force and tried to form the right words to reassure her.</p><p>He gently grasped her shoulders. “I wish that too. But Satine, even if we’re entire systems apart, we will always be together.”</p><p>She lifted her head. A couple tears made their way down her cheek.</p><p>He reached up and brushed her tears away with his thumb. “I have the stone, and you have the beads. And there will always be sunrises. Wherever we are, no matter the physical distance between us, we can always watch the sunrise.”</p><p>Satine covered his hand with hers and leaned forward to press her forehead against his own. “You are a bright light in this dark universe, <em>ner kar’ta</em>.”</p><p>Obi-Wan’s cheeks turned pink. She laughed softly.</p><p>Silence passed between them, comforting and soft. They closed their eyes and breathed together, their hands warm, their noses gently brushing.</p><p>“Obi-Wan,” Satine murmured after a time, “Will you write to me?”</p><p>He opened his eyes and met her gaze.</p><p>She continued in a rush. “I know you wouldn’t be able to send transmissions or write letters or anything, but perhaps if you wrote anyway, maybe in a journal? You could write down all your thoughts and adventures. I’ll read it someday, I know I will!”</p><p>His heart lifted. “Yes! Yes, I’ll write a journal for you! I’ll write every day!”</p><p>“Thank you! Thank you, Obi-Wan!”</p><p>“You’re welcome! I’ll always be here for you, <em>cyar’ika</em>.”</p><p>Satine shifted and threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Obi-Wan responded in kind, wrapping her in a tight embrace. He rested his cheek on her head and gazed out at the sunrise. The Force swirled and pulsed around him, singing the same song it had back in the forest. He allowed it to carry away all his fears and doubts. He chased off the thoughts of the future, thoughts of the goodbye to come.</p><p>In that moment, all that mattered was the sunrise.</p><hr/><p>Obi-Wan shuffled down the hallway, clutching a steaming mug of tea in one hand and a datapad in the other. He scrolled through a report on a recent battle. He tried unsuccessfully to ignore his pounding head. The death toll glaring back at him did little to help. He cautiously sipped his tea, his eyes never straying from the cursed datapad screen.</p><p>He turned a corner and continued down the hallway. He paused as he passed an open door. A familiar flash of blue caught his eye. He looked out onto the balcony beyond the threshold. A woman stood there in a plain blue dress, silhouetted against the morning sky.</p><p>Satine.</p><p>He hesitated, then he stepped out on to the balcony. She turned and smiled, her eyes brightening.</p><p>“Obi-Wan. Good morning.”</p><p>“Hello there,” he responded, “May I join you?”</p><p>She nodded. “Of course.”</p><p>He walked to the railing and stood beside her. “I would offer you tea, but I’m afraid I only have this one cup.”</p><p>Her smile widened. “It’s perfectly alright. I’ve had breakfast and some tea already.”</p><p>He set his mug down on the railing, keeping his fingers wrapped loosely around the warm ceramic. He sighed and his gaze flickered back to the datapad, his attention torn between the words on the screen and the soft sunlight peeking over the horizon. His headache spiked. He winced slightly and took his hand away from his mug to rub his forehead.</p><p>“You look exhausted,” Satine said, frowning, “Did you get any sleep?”</p><p>He sighed again. “Who has time for sleep when there’s a war going on?”</p><p>She touched the back of his arm, just above his elbow, and ran her hand up and down a few times. The action comforted him more than he cared to admit. His eyes drifted closed momentarily before he forced them open again. He tilted his head to look at her. She watched him with her familiar crystal eyes, now shadowed with concern.</p><p>His heart tugged him one way but his mind pulled him in the opposite direction. He longed to hold her close without a care in the world, as he had when he had been younger and more naive. His mind forced him back to the present, flooding his thoughts with logic, reminding him of his duties. As much as he wanted to, he had to respect the oath he took as a Jedi. He also had to respect her. He didn’t want to ruin her name more than it already had been by others with rumors, lies, and hatred.</p><p>Obi-Wan cleared his throat awkwardly. A part of him regretted stepping out onto the balcony in the first place. “I should get back to this report. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”</p><p>He bowed his head respectfully, picked up his mug, and started to leave.</p><p>“Obi-Wan.”</p><p>He stopped and turned back. He had only made it a few steps.</p><p>She faced him with a sad expression. “This war has changed you.”</p><p>He looked down uncomfortably. He didn’t quite know how to respond. “This war has changed us all.”</p><p>“It has changed you most of all, and not for the better. Since when have you passed up the chance to watch the sunrise?”</p><p>“I haven’t watched a sunrise in months.” The words tasted bitter as they left his mouth.</p><p>He half expected her to be upset, but instead, she held out her hand to him. “Come and watch this one, then."</p><p>His feet moved almost without command. Obi-Wan went back to her side. Satine took the datapad out of his hand and set it on the railing, out of his reach. She took his now freed hand and gently massaged his knuckles with her thumb.</p><p>“You aren’t made for this war.” She kept her eyes on their hands as she spoke. “It has dimmed your light. It has worn down your spirit. You are too gentle, too kind, too <em>good</em>. You were made to share your light, to help others and brighten their lights. You were made for peace. You were made to guard, to protect, to love. The violence, destruction, and death you are put through instead… It’s tearing you apart.”</p><p>His shoulders slumped. The weariness in his body, his heart, his very soul, weighed heavier than ever. It dragged him down until he thought for certain he would collapse right there on the balcony.</p><p>Every word she said was true. He fought hard, and he fought well. That’s what made him a highly respected general. But every battle brought more pain, more death. He tried so hard to protect his friends, but the aftermath always brought more funeral pyres, more names to add to his growing list of lost friends. Every day, he had to face the results of another battle, another victory or defeat. And every night, echoes of blaster fire, explosions, and dying screams haunted his dreams. He was haunted by what he might have done instead.</p><p>More violence. More destruction. More death.</p><p>An endless cycle he couldn’t escape.</p><p>“I’m tired,” he admitted in a whisper.</p><p>He wanted to tell her more. He wanted to say how tired he truly felt, how the exhaustion filled his bones, clawed at his heart, and clogged his throat. He wanted to say how he blamed himself for every clone that died under his watch, how he beat himself up for every little failure. He wanted to say how desperately he wished he could leave it for someone else to worry about, to run away and not look back.</p><p>Instead, he stared at their hands and hoped she understood him.</p><p>She did. She always did. She read him like an open book.</p><p>Obi-Wan’s hands shook. Satine gently pried the mug out of his hand and set it on the railing. She grasped his hands, intertwining their fingers. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his own. He met her in the middle as unbidden tears pricked at his eyes.</p><p>He built walls around himself like a shield, protecting him from as much of the world as they could. Somehow, she knew exactly how to bring them down. She knew how to expose his heart and seal the cracks.</p><p>Suddenly, through his blurred vision, he caught a familiar sight. Satine wore a bracelet, a simple string of leather with knots holding two beads in place. One red, one yellow.</p><p>“You still have the beads from my padawan braid.” He spoke with a hoarse voice, thick with emotion and unshed tears.</p><p>“Of course I do,” she replied, squeezing his hands, “I don’t wear this often anymore, since I’m sure the beads are too distinctive, but I keep it in my pocket if it’s not on my wrist.”</p><p>“Oh.” He stared as memories came to the front of his mind. He recalled most of all the garden on Kalevala, when he had given her the beads in the light of the morning sun. She had given him something, too, he remembered. “I still have the robe. I don’t wear it out much because I’m still clumsy and I don’t want to rip it, but I tend to wear it in the morning.” The hints of a wry smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. He gently tugged one hand free and showed her the inside of his robe, revealing the patch of blue fabric just above his hip. “You were right. I grew into it.”</p><p>She laughed a little and lightly touched the fabric square. She let out a reminiscent sigh. “I suppose neither of us has quite forgotten how nice it was to watch those sunrises together.”</p><p>He hummed in agreement. He dropped the edge of his robe and let it fall back into place. He lifted his face to the sun’s glow and let it warm his thin, pale features. “Well, we’re watching this one now.”</p><p>“Indeed. Although I preferred the completely unobstructed view we had in the forest.”</p><p>“Yes, but I’d rather not have to worry about bounty hunters with crossbows.”</p><p>Satine laughed. Obi-Wan smiled.</p><p>“I missed your laugh,” he blurted out.</p><p>“I missed your smile,” she answered immediately.</p><p>A slight blush touched his cheeks.</p><p>She beamed. She reached up and smoothed a few stray hairs off his forehead. “There’s that shy, sweet boy I met all those years ago.”</p><p>The pink on his cheeks deepened. He met her gaze. It would have been easy to let himself get lost in the vast oceans. Too easy. He had to be careful.</p><p>
  <em>But why not pretend for a little while? Why not get lost?</em>
</p><p>“Satine,” he said hesitantly, “Do you remember what I told you, last time we watched that sunrise on Kalevala? And before that, in the forest?”</p><p>“All that matters is the sunrise. I’ll never forget it.”</p><p>“I- well, I want to do that again.” Obi-Wan licked his lips nervously. “Let’s pretend again. There’s nothing else. No responsibilities, no expectations. Just us. Just the sunrise.”</p><p>“I would like nothing better.”</p><p>They moved in unison, closing the distance between them. Satine wrapped one arm around him, rested her other hand on his chest, and tucked her face in the crook of his neck. Obi-Wan held her close, tangling his hand in her hair. The familiar thrum of the Force came to life around him, flooding his heart with warmth and peace.</p><p>He rested his cheek on her head and closed his eyes. He allowed all his pain and anxiety to fade away as Satine slowly ran her hand up and down his back. He focused on the gentle heat of the sun and the soothing song of the Force. He chased scattered, racing thoughts from his mind and thought only of how perfectly she fit in his arms. He matched his breathing to hers.</p><p>At last, the weight of the world fell off his shoulders.</p><p>All that mattered was the sunrise.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Of course I gave Satine pockets. Every skirt and dress should have pockets.</p><p>And before you ask, yes, Obi-Wan's plan was to yeet the bounty hunters off the cliff. Or at least yeet one of them. That was inspired by me when I play Jedi: Fallen Order. If there's a cliff or ledge, I yeet as many enemies off of it as I can.</p><p>I translated most of the Mando'a in here, but here's the guide anyway:<br/>utreekov - idiot<br/>mesh'la - beautiful<br/>(ner) cyar'ika - (my) darling, or sweetheart<br/>ner kar'ta - my heart</p><p>Thanks for reading!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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